What was the question?

Recently, a friend of mine asked me a question and I replied, using Ephesians 6:12 as the template for my answer. Especially I focused on how Apostle Paul mentions two forces of evil – powers in this dark world and evil spirits in the heavenly places.

I had read somewhere long back what the differences are between these two evil forces. I am paraphrasing what I told my friend.

The dark forces are easy to identify. They are vulgar, obscene and one look at the forces, you will know you have to avoid them. Even the idols depicting these forces are easy identifiable as they will be grotesque, eliciting a sense of revulsion on looking at them. These forces use vulgar language, go on the offensive and are very coarse in the behavior.

The spirits in the heavenly places are almost polar opposite in their behavior. They are cultured, decent, and it is not easy to realize they are evil forces just by looking at them. At the idols depicting these forces will be beautiful, with a calm face. Generally these forces do not use vulgarity or obscenity; not because they are virtuous, but because they know how to conceal these characters. They cajole you and make you feel better.

But in the end, both are evil forces, and we must not choose one over another.

This was my answer to the question my friend asked. And it left that friend utterly confused. “Patrick, I understand what you explained now about the various demonic forces. But what that has to do with my original question?”, asked that confused friend. So what was the original question?

The question was: “If you are an American citizen, who would you vote for? For the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate?”